If you won a billion dollars.... - Think Atheist2015-03-03T21:15:29Zhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/forum/topics/if-you-won-a-billion-dollars?feed=yes&xn_auth=noone billion dollars is probab…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-06-27:1982180:Comment:7200792011-06-27T05:07:36.321Zmatt.clerkehttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/mattclerke
one billion dollars is probably not enough to do what I want to do: Start a secular country which actually has a bill of rights(apparently Australia does not) which will force its government to investigate an issue before passing any law regarding it.<br></br>
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In short: laws in my country will be made on the basis of "Why should this be illegal?" as opposed to "Why should this be legal?".<br></br>
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For example: on the issue of homosexual marriage: the default state is legal, if there are…
one billion dollars is probably not enough to do what I want to do: Start a secular country which actually has a bill of rights(apparently Australia does not) which will force its government to investigate an issue before passing any law regarding it.<br/>
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In short: laws in my country will be made on the basis of "Why should this be illegal?" as opposed to "Why should this be legal?".<br/>
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For example: on the issue of homosexual marriage: the default state is legal, if there are reasons to make it illegal then it can be discussed until the law is finally decided. Of course religion will have no power in these kinds of discussions.<br/>
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This doesn't go into enough detail to really find all of the problems with the system but you get the idea. I would secretly invest money…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-05-15:1982180:Comment:6619832011-05-15T20:56:50.562ZLuka Rekhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/LukaRek
I would secretly invest money in expensive projects intended for rich people. After a couple of years of sucking out the money from the walking piggy-banks I would organize an atheist lobby/mafia which would take control of all the capitalist money-making businesses across the globe. Then I would organize a systematic removal of all religious politicians and MPs and all other government officials from their respective positions and substitute them with a completely atheistic government. Another…
I would secretly invest money in expensive projects intended for rich people. After a couple of years of sucking out the money from the walking piggy-banks I would organize an atheist lobby/mafia which would take control of all the capitalist money-making businesses across the globe. Then I would organize a systematic removal of all religious politicians and MPs and all other government officials from their respective positions and substitute them with a completely atheistic government. Another prerequisite for becoming a government official or a politician would involve necessary higher education at an institution with an established reputation which would be individually scrutinized to make sure the individual is completely capable of rational thinking and devoid of all delusions (of a personal god or grandeur). Then I would introduce tax rates on religion (i. e. a church) which would be proportionate to the powerfulness of the god in question (i. e. the power that particular church holds with the people). That would mean that the more the church insists on its god being the most powerful the more tax it would have to pay. Any expression of religious attitudes which could influence your work or your working environment in a negative way would be prohibited by law. It would also be prohibited to back up your claims with any religious materials or your personal beliefs outside the religious sphere. Then I would form a classless society in which every employed person would have the same hourly wage with the exception of government officials who would be allowed to have at most three times that amount. All other remaining funds would be government property which would belong to everyone. All the money would be accounted for and it would be visible to any citizen exactly how much money came from whom and where. Then the whole country would vote through an online referendum on what the money should be used for. Every citizen would have a say in it and everyone could talk about legislative proposals, etc. I would also include a rating possibility so that every citizen could vote on any other citizen`s expertise on particular subjects which would help in establishing the right authorities in particular areas. And then I would simply conquer the world and employ this kind of government on the whole of humanity I would invest heavily in edu…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-05-15:1982180:Comment:6616732011-05-15T17:43:23.046ZShinehttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/shines
<p>I would invest heavily in education. It is the single greatest force for reducing social ills, from overpopulation to environmental destruction to political tyranny. I'm not sure if I would build private schools, invest in charter schools, or champion effective reform of the public school system. Because I'm studying to be a high school teacher right now, I'll have a better grasp of how to improve the education system after actually working in the field. At this moment, I really don't…</p>
<p>I would invest heavily in education. It is the single greatest force for reducing social ills, from overpopulation to environmental destruction to political tyranny. I'm not sure if I would build private schools, invest in charter schools, or champion effective reform of the public school system. Because I'm studying to be a high school teacher right now, I'll have a better grasp of how to improve the education system after actually working in the field. At this moment, I really don't know what specific measures I would stand behind.</p>
<p> </p> Heather wrote (snippet) - aft…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-05-15:1982180:Comment:6616592011-05-15T17:27:30.900Z3equ3cp1fsw0nhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/xn/detail/u_3equ3cp1fsw0n
<p><em>Heather wrote (snippet) - after that, everyone else can go diagf.</em></p>
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<p>Oh, I am getting to know you too well. I figured it out on my first attempt (diagf). Damn, I thought it was going to be a challenge, but I started right off the bat by trying the words "die" for d, and then "in' for i; the rest fell into place immediately.</p>
<p><em>Heather wrote (snippet) - after that, everyone else can go diagf.</em></p>
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<p>Oh, I am getting to know you too well. I figured it out on my first attempt (diagf). Damn, I thought it was going to be a challenge, but I started right off the bat by trying the words "die" for d, and then "in' for i; the rest fell into place immediately.</p> I would build an alpine villa…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-05-15:1982180:Comment:6615192011-05-15T15:57:24.049ZHeather Spoonheimhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/HeatherSpoonheim
I would build an alpine villa right into the side of a mountain, like some Bond villain. It would only be accessible by cable car, and I would hire Joe Pesci to guard the bottom station - so no muthah-fuggin, holy rollahs could get in nare! Then I would spend the rest of my days in my own secular world - after that, everyone else can go diagf.
I would build an alpine villa right into the side of a mountain, like some Bond villain. It would only be accessible by cable car, and I would hire Joe Pesci to guard the bottom station - so no muthah-fuggin, holy rollahs could get in nare! Then I would spend the rest of my days in my own secular world - after that, everyone else can go diagf. Well before I went off half c…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-05-15:1982180:Comment:6614952011-05-15T15:36:08.728ZJ. Ratzingerhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/JRatzinger
<p>Well before I went off half cocked squandering away good money on any cause I would have to ask if any donations to this cause or that were Tax Deductible, and since a secular cause is not a Religion, I don't know that any donations to the nebulous notion of a 'secular cause' would actually get me a tax break, so I am thinking I would not put a dime into it unless it was a registered charity. If a registered charity than perhaps I would consider putting a few bucks in just so nobody thinks I…</p>
<p>Well before I went off half cocked squandering away good money on any cause I would have to ask if any donations to this cause or that were Tax Deductible, and since a secular cause is not a Religion, I don't know that any donations to the nebulous notion of a 'secular cause' would actually get me a tax break, so I am thinking I would not put a dime into it unless it was a registered charity. If a registered charity than perhaps I would consider putting a few bucks in just so nobody thinks I was self centered because that would hurt my feelings.</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong now, I wouldn't be against it and would of course wish everyone the best in all the important 'secular cause'' bake-sales, and interpretive dance 'secular cause' fundraising gala concerts but it would pretty much not be high on my list of priorities.</p>
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<p>I wouldn't want anyone to think I would be miserly with my new found 1 Billion in wealth though, so I would make it very conspicuous that I was spending large quantities of it on living a hedonistic lifestyle of excess and debauchery with yacht-loads of sultry looking yellow skinned, goldigging pneumatic tarts who would be more than happy to help me squander away the Billion on my 'Personal Cause' before they were rotated out at the end of the week to make room for the next batch.</p>
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<p>Some of the people here would seemingly donate more to the 'secular cause' than a religionist donates to his religion. Do you really want to sacrifice &amp; suffer for the sake of principle or is the 'secular cause' or Atheism more like a religion for some of you, and if so then bleeding off most of the cash into it just seems to martyr-like to me, as if you are saying I am willing to sacrifice deeply of myself for the 'secular cause'.</p>
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<p>I can understand perhaps using the money to help the poor, or rescue muslim women from their abusive owners, but blowing something like a Billion in good hard cash on the 'secular cause' whatever that might be, just seems like a terrible waste of money. I guess many people are just more devout and faithful than myself, for which I should perhaps feel deep sense of shame and an overwhelming need to reflect upon and repent for. But I don't!</p> brilliant idea, i would be in…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-05-15:1982180:Comment:6614002011-05-15T13:48:31.088ZTDMhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/Tommy952
<p>brilliant idea, i would be in pure bliss to be part of such an organazation... and i would somehow try to include a comedy wing or tour that travels around using comedy to point out the absurdity of religion, people like to laugh,people like to feel good...</p>
<p>brilliant idea, i would be in pure bliss to be part of such an organazation... and i would somehow try to include a comedy wing or tour that travels around using comedy to point out the absurdity of religion, people like to laugh,people like to feel good...</p> Lobby to get a government tha…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-05-15:1982180:Comment:6609622011-05-15T04:18:43.434ZAnthony Bishophttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/AnthonyBishop
Lobby to get a government that simply took away the classification of "Church".
Lobby to get a government that simply took away the classification of "Church". I'd build a dog and cat parad…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-05-15:1982180:Comment:6609162011-05-15T03:30:02.139Z3equ3cp1fsw0nhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/xn/detail/u_3equ3cp1fsw0n
<p>I'd build a dog and cat paradise along with other dog and cat lovers and then tell all other humans to go jump off a cliff.</p>
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<p>Well actualy, I was not serious about that, but something along those lines.</p>
<p>I'd build a dog and cat paradise along with other dog and cat lovers and then tell all other humans to go jump off a cliff.</p>
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<p>Well actualy, I was not serious about that, but something along those lines.</p> I would spend nearly ALL of i…tag:www.thinkatheist.com,2011-05-15:1982180:Comment:6608532011-05-15T02:31:33.793ZWilliam C. Walkerhttp://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/WilliamCWalker
I would spend nearly ALL of it in freethought causes &amp; charities - secular ones only. At 85, my needs are few &amp; simple. Lots of Atheist billboards - all over the country.
I would spend nearly ALL of it in freethought causes &amp; charities - secular ones only. At 85, my needs are few &amp; simple. Lots of Atheist billboards - all over the country.